Proposed bill would allow guns in cars at workplace

A handgun is shown stored in a vehicle.

File photo

By Dana BeyerleMontgomery Bureau Chief

Published: Thursday, December 6, 2012 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, December 5, 2012 at 10:02 p.m.

MONTGOMERY | The National Rifle Association wants to go beyond a workplace parking lot gun possession bill in the 2013 legislative session and will back an omnibus bill that would make other firearms law changes.

Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, said Wednesday that he and Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, are working on a gun bill that would include workplace parking lot possession rights and a major change for sheriffs who issue pistol permits.

"Rather than have three or four competing gun bills we're just trying to have one bill that deals with several issues, the parking lot issue is one of them," Sanford said.

The "parking lot" bill that has been sponsored several times would allow valid pistol permit holders to keep legal firearms locked up in their private vehicles while parked at their place of work.

The powerful Business Council of Alabama opposes that bill as a safety and private property rights issue.

Now the Alabama Sheriff's Association is opposing at least one possible change in pistol permit laws.

Michael Sullivan, a lobbyist in Alabama representing the NRA, said an omnibus bill could include the parking lot possession right, requiring sheriffs to issue pistol permits if a person passes a background check, extending the validity of a pistol permit from one year to five years, altering the fee, and allowing the use of a pistol permit as a valid background check when buying a firearm.

"If someone applies for a permit and passes a background check, the sheriff still has the discretion whether to issue the license because the language says ‘may' issue, not ‘shall,' " Sullivan said. "We feel that's subjective."

Removing a sheriff's discretion to issue a pistol permit if a person passes a background check will draw the opposition of sheriffs who met Tuesday.

" ‘May' to ‘shall,' it stinks to high heaven," said Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin. He said local sheriffs are in position to know whether a person should get a permit, even if a background check comes back clean.

Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ted Sexton said he wants to read the legislation if it is introduced before commenting.

Sheriff's Association Executive Director Bobby Timmons said discretion to issue a pistol permit should remain with a sheriff.

"It's that one word," Timmons said. "We're against it for the protection of society."

Sen. Roger Bedford, D- Russellville, has prefiled legislation to allow persons with pistol permits to keep a firearm in their locked vehicles at their work parking lot. The 2013 session begins in February.

Bedford sponsored a similar bill in 2010, but it failed to pass the House.

BCA President William Canary said the parking lot bill is "unnecessary legislation which erodes the constitutional property rights of businesses."

House Minority Leader Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, said he supports Bedford's proposed bill that would prohibit a business from firing an employee who had a legal firearm in a locked private vehicle parked on company property.

"For example, if a company prohibits its employees from keeping firearms in their vehicles, then employees would have no choice but to store their firearms at home unless the company keeps a safe storage facility where employees can drop off and pick up their firearms before and after work," Ford said.

Sanford sponsored a similar bill in the 2012 legislative session, but it died in the Senate. Now he's looking to expand the scope of the measure.

He said valid pistol permit holders should be able to buy legal firearms without the federal firearm check.

"We would also like to extend the permit to five years, make it valid for five years," Sanford said.

Sullivan said the pistol permit fee probably would have to be adjusted.

<p>MONTGOMERY | The National Rifle Association wants to go beyond a workplace parking lot gun possession bill in the 2013 legislative session and will back an omnibus bill that would make other firearms law changes.</p><p>Sen. Paul Sanford, R-Huntsville, said Wednesday that he and Sen. Scott Beason, R-Gardendale, are working on a gun bill that would include workplace parking lot possession rights and a major change for sheriffs who issue pistol permits.</p><p>"Rather than have three or four competing gun bills we're just trying to have one bill that deals with several issues, the parking lot issue is one of them," Sanford said.</p><p>The "parking lot" bill that has been sponsored several times would allow valid pistol permit holders to keep legal firearms locked up in their private vehicles while parked at their place of work.</p><p>The powerful Business Council of Alabama opposes that bill as a safety and private property rights issue.</p><p>Now the Alabama Sheriff's Association is opposing at least one possible change in pistol permit laws.</p><p>Michael Sullivan, a lobbyist in Alabama representing the NRA, said an omnibus bill could include the parking lot possession right, requiring sheriffs to issue pistol permits if a person passes a background check, extending the validity of a pistol permit from one year to five years, altering the fee, and allowing the use of a pistol permit as a valid background check when buying a firearm.</p><p>"If someone applies for a permit and passes a background check, the sheriff still has the discretion whether to issue the license because the language says 'may' issue, not 'shall,' " Sullivan said. "We feel that's subjective."</p><p>Removing a sheriff's discretion to issue a pistol permit if a person passes a background check will draw the opposition of sheriffs who met Tuesday.</p><p>" 'May' to 'shall,' it stinks to high heaven," said Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin. He said local sheriffs are in position to know whether a person should get a permit, even if a background check comes back clean.</p><p>Tuscaloosa County Sheriff Ted Sexton said he wants to read the legislation if it is introduced before commenting.</p><p>Sheriff's Association Executive Director Bobby Timmons said discretion to issue a pistol permit should remain with a sheriff.</p><p>"It's that one word," Timmons said. "We're against it for the protection of society."</p><p>Sen. Roger Bedford, D- Russellville, has prefiled legislation to allow persons with pistol permits to keep a firearm in their locked vehicles at their work parking lot. The 2013 session begins in February.</p><p>Bedford sponsored a similar bill in 2010, but it failed to pass the House.</p><p>BCA President William Canary said the parking lot bill is "unnecessary legislation which erodes the constitutional property rights of businesses."</p><p>House Minority Leader Craig Ford, D-Gadsden, said he supports Bedford's proposed bill that would prohibit a business from firing an employee who had a legal firearm in a locked private vehicle parked on company property.</p><p>"For example, if a company prohibits its employees from keeping firearms in their vehicles, then employees would have no choice but to store their firearms at home unless the company keeps a safe storage facility where employees can drop off and pick up their firearms before and after work," Ford said.</p><p>Sanford sponsored a similar bill in the 2012 legislative session, but it died in the Senate. Now he's looking to expand the scope of the measure.</p><p>He said valid pistol permit holders should be able to buy legal firearms without the federal firearm check. </p><p>"We would also like to extend the permit to five years, make it valid for five years," Sanford said.</p><p>Sullivan said the pistol permit fee probably would have to be adjusted.</p>